Tidal flow system and method for causing water to flow through waterways

ABSTRACT

A tidal flow system and method for causing flow of water through waterways to flush said waterways and prevent stagnation of water and accumulation of debris therein, wherein a one-way valve means is in said waterway between the ends thereof, said valve means being closed when the depth of water on the discharge side of the valve is greater than on the inlet side of the valve and said valve means being opened when the depth of water on the discharge side of the valve is less than on the inlet side thereof, the depth of water at least on the discharge side of the valve being controlled by tidal action.



1. A tidal flow system for causing flow of water through a waterway inone direction to flush said waterway and prevent stagnation of water andaccumulation of debris and pollutants or the like therein and to createa food and water condition for marine life growth superior to thatnaturally obtained, comprising a pair of laterally spaced waterwaysextending inland from a body of water subject to tidal action, saidwaterways connected at one of their ends to said body of water andreceiving water therefrom, said waterways connected with each otherinland from said body of water to define a closed waterway loop for theflow of water subject to tidal action from said body of water, wateroperated, one-way valve means in said waterway loop between the endsthereof dividing the waterway loop into a relatively short end on oneside of the valve and a relatively long end on the other side thereof sothat the level of water rises on said one side of the valve before itrises on the other side thereof due to tidal action and falls on saidone side of the valve before it falls on the other side thereof due totidal action to obtain water flow through the waterway from the cleanestsource, said valve being opened to discharge water from one of said endsinto the other of said ends of the waterway loop, and closed to preventthe reverse flow, responsive to the difference in water level onopposite sides of the valve, thus causing a flow of water through saidwaterway in one direction with each change in tide to prevent stagnationof water and accumulation of debris and the like therein and to improvethe marine environment in said waterway.
 2. A tidal flow system as inclaim 1, wherein said waterway comprises a first man-made waterwayconnected at one end thereof with a body of water subject to titalaction and extending inland at the other end thereof, a second man-madewaterway connected at one end thereof with said body of water andextending inland at the other end thereof, and said other ends of saidwaterways connected together to define said waterway loop.
 3. A tidalflow system as in claim 1, wherein said waterway comprises a pair ofnatural waterways extending inland from a body of water subject to tidalaction, a first man-made waterway connected at one end thereof to one ofsaid natural waterways, a second man-made waterway connected at one endthereof to the other of said natural waterways, said first and secondman-made waterways extending inland at their other ends and connectedtogether at their other ends to define said closed waterway loop.
 4. Atidal flow system as in claim 1, wherein said valve opens toward theshort end of the waterway to obtain flow from the long end to the shortend.
 5. A tidal pump system as in claim 1, wherein said valve meanscomprises a flap-type gate valve.
 6. A tidal pump system as in claim 5,wherein said flap-type gate valve is freely pivotally supported from itsupper edge thereof.
 7. A tidal pump system as in claim 6, wherein saidvalve is mounted at the end of a culvert.
 8. A tidal pump system as inclaim 6, wherein said valve is mounted at the end of a spillway.
 9. Atidal pump system as in claim 1, wherein at least a part of saidwaterway system comprises a natural waterway.
 10. A tidal pump system asin claim 9, wherein a part of said waterway system comprises a man-madecanal.
 11. A tidal pump system as in claim 1, wherein the long side ofsaid waterway system is approximately one-third longer than the shortside thereof.
 12. A tidal pump system as in claim 1, wherein saidwaterway system comprises a man-made canal connected at its oppositeends with a river subject to tidal action.
 13. A tidal pump system as inclaim 1, wherein said valve means is in a man-made canal, the oppositeends of said canal being connected to a pair of natural waterwayssubject to tidal action.